Time-controlled mechanism



Aug@ zo, A1,929. 'c'. M. RooK E'T AL,

TIME C-ONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed' March 2e, '1925 Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED" STATE-s PATENT ori-"icaA CHARLES M. CROOK AND ALBERT E. LONG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A'SSIGNORS TO STBOMBERG ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MAIN E.

TIME-CONTROLLED MECHANISH,

Our invention relates to time controlled mechanism, and more specifically to time controlled mechanism for controlling a member which is movable back and forth, to cause this movable member to be given. a step-by-step movement in one direction and to be returned to its original position.

Such a construction is useful in various relations, one of them being in connection with a Workmans time recorder, for determining in what position on thecard the record will be made. For instance, it may be desirable that on the first day of the Week, all of the records will be made in the first column.; that on the second day of the week all the records will be made in the second column; and so forth; and that at the end of the week, the mechanism will be returned to its original position, so that the cards will again be printed in the first column.

Again, it may be desired that during a certain portion of the day, the records shall be made on the `cards in the vfirst column; during a succeeding portion of the day in the second column; during still another succeeding portion of the day in the third column, etc., and that at the end of the day the mechanism be again reset to its original position, so that on the following day during the lirst part of the day thev records will be made in the rst column.

The mechanism is also useful in variou other relations.

In the drawings in which an embodiment of our invention is shown- Fig. lis a front view of a controlled member and the controlling mechanism therefor; u Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

lig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

` Fig. 4 is a perspective view of certain of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the construction shown. therein comprises a pivoted controlled member 10, movable back nd forth, and controllingmechanism thereor.

In the construction shown, means are provided whereby this pivoted controlled member 10 is moved in one direction with astepby-step movement, and thenreturnedy to its original position, by a single continuous movement. This construction may be used to control the shifting back and forth of a type carriage such as shown in the co-pending apparts I plication of Crook, #609,57 3, filed December 29, 1922, or it may be used to control a shiftable card holder, or any other shiftable device ly of the cards, to print in different columns thereon. The shifting might be so controlled that the printing mechanism would be shifted once every day (say at midnight) and would remain in each position to which it was shifted for a. complete day, and at the end of the week,'would b e, in a few hours, returned to its original position, ready to start the succeeding week in the first column.

The mechanism for controlling the pivoted controlled member comprises a circular camcarrying disc 11, rotating as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 4, a plurality of independently adjustable arcuate concentric cam members 12, 13, 14, 15, 16-and 17, .cooperating with the follower portion 18 of the controlled member, and an adjustable return cam 19 which cooperates with a roller 20, mounted on the pivoted actuated member.

-The cam-carrying discV 11 is mounted on a rotating time controlled arbor 21. Any suitable means not'shown for giving a uniform rate of movement to this time-controlled member may be provided.

A coil tension spring 22 is provided to hold the pivoted controlled member 10 inoperative relation with'respect to the arcuate cam members and the return cam. This spring has' one end secured to the pivoted arm at 23, and the other end is secured to some fixed partof the frame 24 at 25. The controlled member 10 is pivoted to the frame at 26.

The ca`m-carring disc 11 is held in place on the arbor 21 y means of a screw 26, and is positioned and caused to rotate with the arbor by means of a pin 27 secured to the camcarrying disc 'which engages in a notch 28 in the plate 29 secured to the arbor 21.

The arcuate cam members may be arranged so in overlapped relation that as the point or follower'portion 18 ofrthe pivotedfarm drops off the rear portion of onev arcuate cam piece, it will dro onto the next succeeding cam portion. e ivoted controlled arm 10 is thusgiven a tlme controlled step-bys'tep movement, remaining in fixed position duringI the travel of each cam underneath the ly under the action of the'sprin A22,at the p having a threaded shank a hole in the circular cam-carrying disc 11, a

portion 18 of t any one resting passes out from underneath the fol'- ,lower portion.

As intimatedabove, each of the arcuate cam portions is adjustable independently ofthe others about a common axis, the arcuate cam pieces being slidable in concentriccircular grooves -in the cam-carrying disc 11.

In order to hold the arcuate cam pieces in any position to which they may be adjusted,

' clamping hooks 31 are provided, one for eachl of the arcuate cam pieces, each `of these clamping hooks having a hook portion engagin the outer edge of the arcuate cam piece and extending through nut 32 being provided for this screw-threaded shank, whereby the hook .portion of the clamping'hook may be drawn inwardly to force'the arcuate cam piece firmly into the circular groove in which it slides and in which it is seated. These tightening nuts 32 may be provided with grooves 33 for engagement with a screw driver.

It will be seen that the length of time which the pivoted controlled memberA remains in position is dependent upon the speed at which the time controlled cam-carrying disc 11 is driven, and also upon the amount of the arcuate cam piece .which is exposed in position to be en aged by the point or follower Ile pivoted controlled member. Thus by sliding any one of the arcuate cam portions in one direction or the other, the

length of time which the follower portion will remain in contact `with this vparticular j cam piece may bel cned or shortened.

The cam-carryin llmay be provided with a central c1rc ar boss 34 ontowhich the point 18 of the controlled member maydrop when 'it passesY oil the rear end ofthe innermost one 17 of the arcuate cam pieces, or any othersuitable means may be rovided for limi the final movement o the pivoted contro ed member.

An extension or thumb piece 35 is rovided on the bracket 36 on which the ro er 20 is mounted, this thumb iece serving as av handle to move the pivote controlled member 10 out of the way when it is desired to lift the cam-'carrying dise 11 oi from its arbor 21 for purposes of ad'ustxnent, etc. Y

For liftin e point 18 of the pivoted controlled memer from its innermost potion in which it rests on the circular boss 34, to its outermost position in .which it rests onthe outermost arcuate cam piece 12, theY return cam piece 19 is provided, which-is so d that 1t rforms the return movement o pivote control'member very quickly, a very small part of a revolution of during the camv carrying `disc 11. In some forms of our inlvention, this complete return movement Vof give a much greater movement of the n member.

-time intervals. As the cam oted control member, so that a relativl small movement ofthe axis of this roller point 18. If a'still quicker return of the pivoted control member is desired, this may be accomplished by mounting the roller 20 still closer to the axis or pivot 26 of the controlled It will be noted that the first point of engagement between the return cam 19 and the roller 2O (shown in dotted linesin Fig. 1) is substantially on the line between the axis of thev pivoted control member and the axis of the rotatable cam-carrying disc, and that the side edge of the return cam. 19 engages the roller 20 so that the return cam exerts a force on the roller substantially-in the direction of the line of movement of the axis of the roller. The force exerted is thus very effective, because of the direction which it is exerted. The return ca m 19 returns the controlled member 10 just far enough vso that the outermost cam piece 12 can pass underneath the point 18 of the controlled member. v

In order to vary the time of return of the controlled'member 10, the return cam 19 may be adjusted `angularly about its axis. The return cam' is shown as provided with meanssfor holding it in three different positions, the return cam `plate being provided with three openings 37, into any one of which the posi 'tloningfpinv 38 may enter. This pin 38 i s mounted on the cam carrier 11; the return screw 26.

After the rear edge of the return -cam 19 passes from underneath the roller-20, the outermost cam iece 12 will continue to hold the control mem r in its outermost position until the point 18 drops oil from the rear asl of the outermost cam piece 12 onto the next succeeding cam piece 13.

It will vhe noted that the campieces overlap each other so that there will always be a cam ,piece onto which the point 18may drop.

' In use and operation arcuate cam members 12 to 17, inclusive, are setto give the proper carrying disc 11 slowly'rotat,' the follower 18 travels along the arcuate cam members dro ping from one to the other successively -an finally being lao" lifted from the inner cam member 17 back into the outer cam member 12 by means of the return cam 19.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. A controlled member, movable back and forth, and means for controlling said member to cause it to be given a step-bystep movement in one direction, comprising a plurality of cam members having arcuate concentric cam portions of different radii, and a follower for successively engaging said arcuate cam portions, said cam members being adjustable independently of each other.

2. A controlled member, movable back and forth, and means for controlling said member to cause it to be given a step-by-step movement in one direction, comprising a plurality of cam members having arcuate concentric -cam Portions of different radii, and a follower or successively engaging said arcuate cam portionasaid cam members being indepen ently adjustable about their common axls.

3. A controlled member, movable back and forth, and means for controlling said member to cause it to be given a step-by-step movement in one direction, comprising a rotatable member having concentric grooves therein, and a plurality of arcuate cam members, one slidabl mounted in each groove.

4. A controlle member comprising a pivoted member havin a follower portlon and a roller, and means or controlling said member to cause it to be given a step-by-step movement in one direction, comprising a plurality of cam members having arcuate conment,`whereby saidv sub-assembly may be readily detached from said rotatable member for adjusting said cam members.

6. Means for controlling a member to cause it to be given a step-by-step movement in one direction, comprising a rotatable member, and a sub-assembly readily attachable and detachable with respect to said rotatable member, comprising a rotatable cam carrier and a plurality of cam members mounted on said cam carrier for independent adjust- Ament, whereby said sub-assembly may be readily detached yfrom said rotatable member for adjusting said cam members, said cam members having arcuate concentric cam portions of different radii.

In witness whereof, wehave hereunto subscribed our names. J j

CHARLES M. CROOK.` ALBERT E. LONG. 

